beautiful lines
of green run through
the summer dishes
—Tatsuko Hoshino

 

My summer dishes are edged in green with flowers along the border. Using seasonal items, eating seasonal food, wearing seasonal clothes, reminds me that I am part of a cycle of life. How can we pay enough attention to those everyday details that we feel that we have lived each day?

My days become richer when I focus on the taste of fresh corn or tomatoes, the smell of simmering barbecue sauce, hearing the cicadas or watching fireflies flashing. Moments stand out from one another instead of blending into a homogeneous whole. Switching out one set of clothes for another or writing up a new menu reminds me that I live with abundance and opportunity. Changing with the season connects me to the larger world.

Although I do have a few practical things like plates and napkins that change with the season, I don’t need to surround myself with artificial reminders of which season I’m in. Rather, I want to experience each season, whether it’s swimming and biking in summer or hiking and snow shoeing in winter. The clothes and local fresh foods only serve to accentuate my present moment and experience. Turns out, the more seasonal I am, the more mindful I am.